Updates About Jobs

The Stargate company is coming to Michigan. Helmed by tech giants such as OpenAI, Oracle, Nvidia, and Microsoft, the company aims to invest $500 billion in AI infrastructure and development by 2029. Saline Township, Michigan is the 5th location announced out of 20 new AI data centers the company plans to build around the country. The data center’s plans for this rural farming town bring with it a whopping spending estimate of $10 billion.

Back in September, the township board refused to rezone the farmland plot required for building the data center after local residents raised concerns about pollution and the eventual increase in utility costs. However, an agreement was reached when Stargate offered to invest $14 million upfront to the township to go toward fire services, farmland preservation, and the community investment fund, plus an annual investment of $9.6 million into the township’s government and local school for the next 25 years.

Governor Whitmer praises the investment after working with Stargate to secure a deal since the project was first announced. She predicts the building will create 2,500 construction jobs, as well as 450 permanent on-site jobs and 1,500 jobs within the county.

A recent brief issued by the Senate Fiscal Agency showed that 21.7% (or 18 out of the 83) Michigan counties are considered a maternity desert. This designations is assigned for counties that do not have a single hospital or birth center offering obstetric care and contain no obstetric providers. This number is up from 18% (15 out of 83 counties) in 2023.

Michigan’s maternity desert counties include Keweenaw, Ontonagon, Baraga, Iron, Alger and Luce in the Upper Peninsula. Lower Peninsula counties include Cheboygan, Presque Isle, Antrim, Oscoda, Alcona, Missaukee, Lake, Gladwin Arenac, Ionia, Cass, and Sanilac. The three counties with the longest birth commutes—Luce, Schoolcraft, and Ontonagon—are all located within the Upper Peninsula.

Recently, Aspirus Health announced they were ending OBGYN services at their Ironwood location. The move was met with sharp criticism from Republican lawmakers who represent the Upper Peninsula. Sen. Ed McBroom (R-Vulcan), pointed out that despite the U.P. being bigger than six U.S. states, it only has six locations equipped to handle births.

Other data in the brief shows that the state was experiencing a steady birth rate beginning in the 1950’s. That is until 2023 when, for the first time ever, the birth rate fell below 10 births per 1,000 people. The rate in 2024 was 9.65 births for every 1,000 people.

The ongoing Federal Government shutdown is expected to affect many areas in Michiganders lives. Notable impacts include the following:

• Nearly 30,000 civilian federal employees will be either ordered to work without pay or furloughed until Congress reaches a deal. Those ordered to work will receive back pay after the shutdown is over

• All active-duty military personnel, including the National Guard, will carry out their duties without pay

• Short term funding has been made available to both food assistance programs SNAP and Women Infants Children (WIC). Each state has received contingency funds that have estimated to be sufficient for one week of operations, however states may have additional dollars to spend. In Michigan, we are expected to have funds to continue the program for a couple weeks.

• Michiganders on Medicare and Medicaid will continue to receive benefits, but communication delays from the agency are expected

• The Veterans Health Administration, which falls under the Department of Veterans Affairs and is also Michigan’s largest employer, is expected to be 97% operational

• Retirement, disability, veterans, and health care benefits that are covered under federal programs will continue, but delays are expected due to reduced staffing

• The US Postal Service will remain open and mail is expected to arrive on time

• The Michigan Department of Education will also remain open. In a memo, State Superintendent Michael Rice explained that any issues the state needs to elevate to federal officials for guidance will likely be delayed until normal operations resume. He also noted that federal reimbursement-based funding to local schools will be delayed